Mall tenants seek rental discount due to flyover works

At least three tenants of Gaisano Country Mall have asked that they be given discount on their rent, saying business has gone down since the start of construction of the controversial Banilad flyover project.

City councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said the request was made through formal letters sent to the mall’s management that were subsequently forwarded to Jakosalem for the City Traffic Operations Management to note. Jakosalem sits as member of the Citom Board.

Jakosalem said the tenants requested that they be given discount on their rent throughout the duration of the flyover construction. The contractor of the project had said it would be able to finish construction in six months.

“They just want to show that they are really suffering,” Jakosalem said, that is why the mall forwarded copies of the letters to Citom.

If only to retain the customers, Jakosalem said Citom has already allowed vehicles coming from Cebu City proper to directly turn left to the entrance of Country Mall during non-peak hours, upon discretion of the traffic enforcers.

Aside from this, the entire stretch of Governor Mariano Cuenco Avenue directly in front of Country Mall has been transformed into a disembarkation and embarkation lane, also to prevent traffic congestion in the area.  

Two weeks ago, the Banilad Town Center also requested Citom to allow vehicles from the Banilad area to turn left directly to BTC, which Citom subsequently granted.

However, Jakosalem said, vehicles would only be allowed to directly turn left to BTC at times when traffic is moderate, just like in Country Mall.

Jakosalem earlier said the owner of Banilad Town Center had told him that establishments in the commercial complex have been getting lesser customers since the construction started last month.

In fact, the volume of vehicles that enter BTC has reportedly decreased by 50 percent in the last month. The Department of Public Works and Highways started constructed last February 1.

The “no left turn” rule implemented upon the start of construction has reportedly discouraged customers coming from the Banilad area to go to BTC because they could not directly turn left towards the commercial complex.

Construction of the flyover was supposed to start November last year but was postponed until February this year after the initial budget was found to be insufficient to cover the expenses especially for the purchase of the road right of way.

In January, however, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the report of the bicameral conference committee on the 2008 national budget with amendments - among which is the additional P50 million for the flyover - just four days before the scheduled start of construction last February 1. 

The 390-meter flyover stretches from near the Banilad Town Center up to the Llama Construction Building along Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. — Joeberth M. Ocao/MEEV